Morning journal and courier., 1887-05-05
ssCOmBlNEs" FOR LUCK.

East Buffalo Excited over the Cnp-
 ture of Several Lottery Prfzes-HoW
 the combines Work--A Lottery Fe-
 yer.
 From the Buffalo (N. Y.) Sunday News, March g.
 East Buffalo is perspiring with the Louisi- ana lottery fever since the announcement was made that one one tenth of the one hun dred and fifty thousand dollar first capital prize in the drawing of the 10th inst. is owned by "combination" on William street. The news was received on Sunday, and on Monday night the lucky hit was celebrated by the syndicate holders of the winning cou- pon at the ''combine'' headquarters, in Matt Metzgers saloon at 457 William street. Be- fore the jubilation was over another combi- nation was started which numbers over twenty already, and will probably be in- creased to fifty. Three other "tcombines, '' having headquarters elsewhere, are also be- ing formed for the next6rawing in the hope and expectation that the lightning will strike East Buffalo again-this time in several places.
 The members of the Metzger "combine" which captured one-tenth of the one hun dred and fifty thousand dollar prize, or if teen thousand dollars, Matt Metzger, holding three shares; Joseph Ludwig, John Dittman, Alexander Roy and Edward Van dersder, each holding two shares; and Fred erick Swager, A.. c. Roth, Joseph Britts, John Waldruff, Joseph Lear, Andrew Win ters, George Dittman, Christ Gerber, Christ Atz, B. J. Moriarty, John Fisher, Henry Snyder, Joseph Snydle and five others, who are friends of Alexander Roy now residing in Kansas City, who held one share each. There were thirty in the "combine," and each share is entitled to five hundred dol lars The lucky ticket, of which the syndi- cate held one-tenth coupon, was numbered 66, ,551, and this has been sent on for collec- tion.
 The plan of these lottery syndicates is as follows: A number of parties get together, form a club, elect treasurer, and each buys one or more shares, paying one dollar for each share. When the money is all collected the treasurer forwards it to the Louisiana lottery managers with instructions to invest it in tenth or fifth numbers so to secure 8 different number for every dollar invested. Frequently none of the numbers held by the syndicate draw anything. But once in 8 while one of them strikes prize, and this is afterward divided pro-rata among the un- holder of the lucky coupon. Those who hold two or more tickets are of course enti- tied to as many shares in the prize. The lucky number in the Metzger combine was held by Ludwig. He has been investing in the Louisiana lottery for two years, and only once during that time managed to hit for tunate number. This was about year ago, when he scooped ill two hundred dollars with an investment of one dollar.
 Ons-tenth of the first capital prize of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in the February drawing of the Louisiana State lottery was won in Buffalo by combine Of tnree These gentlemen were Anton A. Veiders, Tony Schweers and Joseph Leh- nah. All these are employed in Bettinger's dry goods store at 531 Main street. Their
 share in the prize was five thousand dollars
 each. The lucky ticket was No. 73,9S7. They received the money three weeks ago. The coupon was collected for them by one of
 the Bettinger brothers, and another combine
 has been made for the April drawing in which almost every enploye in the store is said to be entitled. It is claimed that
 enough syndicates have already been organ
 ized here for the April event to secure a
 stake in the capital number beyond doubt, and hundreds of venturesome hearts are al-
 ready duttering with wild expectations.